Physics and Astronomy News Archive: December 2010

Image: Astronomers Detect First Carbon-rich Exoplanet

Astronomers Detect First Carbon-rich Exoplanet

Source: MIT   Posted: 12/18/10

Discovery opens door to new class of exoplanets, including rocky planets rich in diamond and graphite.
Image: Hot Plasma Explosions Inflate Saturn's Magnetic Field

Hot Plasma Explosions Inflate Saturn's Magnetic Field

Source: JPL/NASA   Posted: 12/17/10

A new analysis based on data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft finds a causal link between mysterious, periodic signals from Saturn's magnetic field and explosions of hot ionized gas, known as plasma, around the planet.
Image: NASA Probe Sees Solar Wind Decline

NASA Probe Sees Solar Wind Decline

Source: JPL/NASA   Posted: 12/15/10

The 33-year odyssey of NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has reached a distant point at the edge of our solar system where there is no outward motion of solar wind.
Image: Cassini Spots Potential Ice Volcano on Saturn Moon

Cassini Spots Potential Ice Volcano on Saturn Moon

Source: JPL/NASA   Posted: 12/15/10

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has found possible ice volcanoes on Saturn's moon Titan that are similar in shape to those on Earth that spew molten rock.
Image: Fourth Planet Discovered in Extra-Solar System

Fourth Planet Discovered in Extra-Solar System

Source: LLNL   Posted: 12/15/10

Astronomers have discovered a fourth giant planet, joining three others that, in 2008, were the subject of the first-ever pictures of a planetary system orbiting another star.
Image: Learning From Hot Jupiters

Learning From Hot Jupiters

Source: MIT   Posted: 12/15/10

By studying how massive planets may have formed, MIT astrophysicist sets the stage for studying smaller, more Earthlike planets.
Image: Astronomers Use Moon in Effort to Corral Elusive Cosmic Particles

Astronomers Use Moon in Effort to Corral Elusive Cosmic Particles

Source: NRAO   Posted: 12/6/10

Seeking to detect mysterious, ultra-high-energy neutrinos from distant regions of space, a team of astronomers used the Moon as part of an innovative telescope system for the search.
Image: Massive Galaxies Formed When Universe Was Young

Massive Galaxies Formed When Universe Was Young

Source: Tufts   Posted: 12/1/10

Some of the universe's most massive galaxies may have formed billions of years earlier than current scientific models predict, according to surprising new research findings.
Image: Surprise link between weird quantum phenomena found

Surprise link between weird quantum phenomena found

Source: CQT   Posted: 12/1/10

Researchers have uncovered a fundamental link between the two defining properties of quantum physics.
Image: Magnetism Common to All Cosmic Jets

Magnetism Common to All Cosmic Jets

Source: NRAO   Posted: 12/1/10

Astronomers have found the first evidence of a magnetic field in a jet of material ejected from a young star.